Invalid&#39;s table



Oct. 1, 1929. c, NEWMAN 1,729,679

INVALIDS TABLE Filed Jan. 13, 1928 an uc'nfo G- M. ZVeuJmax,

/ I aftozwcag Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES CLAUDE M. NEWMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS INVALID S TABLE Application filed January 13, 1928.

This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to a table of the type known as an invalids table.

()ne object of the invention is to provide a table which may be applied to a bed post at the head of a bed and swung from a folded position at one side of the bed and close to a wall against which the bed is placed to a position for use in front of a person occupying the bed.

Another object of the invention is to permit inner and outer sections of a folding arm forming part of the table to be readily swung in a horizontal plane from a folded to an extended position and to allow the arm sections to be moved very close to each other when folded and prevent danger of a wall being marred by a hinge which pivotally connects the arm sections.

Another object of the invention is to so mount a table top upon the outer arm section that it may be swung about the arm section transversely thereof from a vertical position when folded to a horizontal position when in use and also to provide improved means to releasably secure the table top in a horizontal operative position.

Another object of the invention is to permit the table top to be securely locked in a horizontal position but at the same time allow it'to be very easily released after dishes have been removed and the top is to be folded.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the improved table applied to a bed, the dotted lines indicating the position of the table when folded;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the improved table in an operative position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the bed post engaging portion of the table in side elevation;

Fig. t is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line tof Fig. 1 and illust aterial No. 246,515.

ing the construction of the latch which retains the table top in an operative position, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the construction of the hinge joining the inner and outer arm sections.

The improved invalids table includes a table top 1 which may be formed of wood or any other suitable material, inner and outer arm sections 2 and 3 pivotally connected by a hinge i, and attaching means 5 to secure the inner arm section to a side post 6 at the head of the bed 7 to which the table is to be applied.

The inner arm section 3 consists of upper and lower rods 8 and 9 which extend longitudinally of each other and have their rear or inner ends rigidly engaged with a bracket 10, preferably formed of strong sheet metal and having bearing arms 11 which extend rearwardly therefrom and carry a pivot pin consisting of a bolt 12. The upper rod 8 is straight throughout its length but the lower rod extends upwardly towards the rod 8 from its rear end towards its forward end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and at their forward ends the two rods are rigidly engaged with a hinge bracket 18, the bearing arms 15 of which extend diagonally from the rods, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The outer arm section which is circular in cross section has its rear or inner end rigidly engaged with a hinge bracket 16 having bearing arms 17 which are shorter than the bearing arms 15 of the bracket 13 and are disposed between these arms and pivotally connected therewith bv a bolt or other suitable pivot pin 18. The outer arm section 2 is disposed midway the rods 8 and 9 of the inner arm section and a notch or recess 19 is formed in the bracket 13, as shown in Fig. 5, so that when the outer arm section is swung toward the inner arm section to a folded position it may fit close to the inner arm section, as indicated by dotted ure, it will also be seen that since the arms of the bracket 16 are short and the arms l l of the bracket 13 extend diagonally from the inner arm section the ends of the bearing arms 15 and 17 will be so disposed that they cannot contact with a wall when the table is folded and, therefore, the wall will not be marred.

In order to secure the inner arm section to the bed post 6, there has been provided upper and lower clamps 20 and 21, each of which includes companion jaws 22 and 23. These jaws are formed of sheet metal strips which are bent to fit about the bed post, as shown in Fig. l, and have their free ends formed with lips through which are passed securing bolts 24. It will be readily understood that, when the bolts are tightened, the jaws will be drawn into tight gripping engagement with the bed post. The strip from which the jaw 22 is formed has its other end portion cut to form upper and lower arms which are rebent upon themselves to form upper and lower bearing sleeves 25 which fit about the pivot pin 12 and the corresponding end portion of the strip from which the jaw 23 is formed is bent to provide a bearing sleeve 26 received between the sleeves 25. lt will thus be seen that the two jaws are pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin. A spacing sleeve 27 is provided upon the pivot pins between the upper and lower clamps to retain the clamps in proper spaced relation to each other. By this arrangement the table may be easily and quickly applied to a bed post at the head of the bed and the arm sections swung from a folded position close against the wall, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, to an extended position for use, as shown in full lines in this figure.

The table top 1 which is carried by the outer arm section carries bearing brackets 28 and 29 having sleeve portions which fit about the outer arm section so that the table may be swung from a vertical position when folded to a horizontal position when in use. Pins 30 and 31 pro ect transversely from the arm section through a bayonet slot 32 formed in the bearing bracket 28 and a straight slot 33 formed in the bracket 29 in order to pre vent the table top from sliding longitudinally upon the arm section and control the extent to which the table top may be swung about the arm section. It should be noted that the pin 30 is carried by a plunger 34E which is slidably received in a pocket formed axially in the outer arm section and passes through a slot 35 formed longitudinally in the arm section. The bayonet slot 32 registers with the slot 35 and since it has one arm extending transversely of the arm section 2 and its, other arm extending longitudinally thereof it will be readily seen that when the pin is disposed in the longitudinally extending arm of the bayonet slot, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the table top will be securely held in the horizontal position for use. When it is desired to release the table top, it is merely necessary to push the plunger inwardly against the action of the spring 36 disposed in the inner end portion of the pocket into which the plunger fits and the pin will be moved to the intersection of the arms of the bayonet slot and the table top may then be swung to a vertical position. It will thus be seen that the table top may be securely held in a horizontal position for use but may be easily released and swung to a vertical position when the table is to be folded and swung close to the wall at one side of the bed. While it is stated that the table is to be applied to a bed, it will be understood that it may be applied to an armchair or to any other suitable support.

A supporting leg 37 is hinged to the arm 2, as shown at 38, and is of such length that it may rest upon the bed in front of the patient when released from the resilient catch 39. Therefore, a patient may rest his elbows on the table while eating without the pressure tilting the table.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. An invalids table comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to a support, an arm extending from said bracket and having its outer portion circular in cross section and formed with a pocket opening through its outer end and a longitudinally extending slot communicating with the pocket, a table extending longitudinally of said arm with the arm disposed intermediate its width, a clamp carried by said table and having a sleeve portion fitting loosely about the arm to connect the table with the arm for swinging movement about the same from a horizontal to a vertical position, the sleeve portion of said clamp being formed with a bayonet slot having arms extending longitudinally and circumferentially thereof and registering with the slot in said arm, a latch plunger slidable in said pocket and projecting therefrom, a pin carried by the plunger and projecting outwardly through the slots of the arm and clamp, and a spring in said pocket urging said plunger outwardly whereby the table may be releasably secured in a horizontal position.

2. An invalids table comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to a support, an arm having an inner section pivotally connected with said bracket and an outer section pivoted to said inner section and formed with an axially disposed pocket opening through its outer end and a longitudinally extending slot communicating with the pocket, a table, clamps secured against the under face of said table and having sleeve portions fitting loosely about an outer arm section, the sleeve portion of one clamp having a circumferentially extending slot and the other clamp having its sleeve portion formed with a bayonet slot extending circumferentially and longitudinally thereof and communicating With the slot in the outer arm section, a pin carried by the outer arm section and extending through the slot in the second clamp, a plunger ,slidable longitudinally in said pocket and projecting from the outer arm section, a spring in said pocket urging the plunger outwardly, and a pin carried by said plunger and projecting through the slot in the outer arm section and bayonet slot and serving to releasably lock the table in a horizontal position.

3. An invalids table comprising an arm having a portion circular in cross section and being formed with a longitudinally extending pocket and having a longitudinally extending slot communicating with the pocket, a table extending longitudinally of said arm, a clamp carried by said table and having a sleeve portion fitting loosely about the circular portion of the arm to connect the table with the arm for swinging movement about the same from a horizontal to a vertical position, the sleeve portion of said clamp being formed with a bayonet slot having arms extending longitudinally and circumferentially thereof and registering with the slot in said arm, a latch plunger slidable in said pocket, a pin carried by the plunger and projecting outwardly through the slots of the arm and clamp, and a spring in said pocket urging said plunger into position to dispose the pin in the arm of the bayonet slot extending longitudinally of the arm whereby the table may be releasably secured in a horizontal position.

4. An invalids table comprising an arm, means to support the arm in a substantially horizontal position, a table top extending longitudinally of said arm and projecting from the arm transversely thereof, a sleeve connected with the under surface of the table top and fitting loosely about said arm to mount the top for movement from a vertical to a horizontal position and formed with a bayonet slot having portions extending longitudinally and transversely of the arm, a latch stem carried by said arm and slidable longitudinally thereof and having an end portion projecting from the table top, a pin projecting from said stem through the bayonet slot, and means yieldably retaining the stem in a normal position with the pin disposed in the portion of the bayonet slot extending longitudinally of the arm to releasably secure the table top in a horizontal position.

5. An invalids table comprising an arm, means to support the arm in a substantially horizontal position, a table top extending longitudinally of said arm and projecting 

